Josh Freese Claims He Has 'A Lot To Say' About His Foo Fighters Dismissal

Foo Fighters

Close to a year on from his shock dismissal as drummer of the Foo Fighters, veteran percussionist Josh Freese has claimed he has “a lot to say” about his situation, but is wary about sharing his personal theories as to why he was let go.

Freese’s tenure with Foo Fighters officially began in May 2023, having previously joined the band on stage for their London and Los Angeles tribute concerts, which were held in memory of Taylor Hawkins, who tragically passed away in March 2022.

In May 2025, however, Freese revealed that the band had decided “to go in a different direction with their drummer,” adding that “no reason was given” for his dismissal.

Despite stating he was “shocked and disappointed” about the high profile exit, he remained in relatively good spirits, sharing a tongue-in-cheek list of the “Top 10 possible reasons Freese got booted from the Foos” just days later.

Since his exit, the Foo Fighters announced Ilan Rubin as their new drummer, showcasing his recorded output on last year’s new single, Asking For A Friend, and bringing him to Australia for their one-off Launceston show just month.

Now, in a new interview with Modern Drummer (via Louder Sound), Freese has admitted he holds his own theories as to why he was let go, but admits he’s reticent to air them publicly.

“The Foo Fighters are such a big, mainstream band that everything I say gets taken out of context, reposted, and blown out of proportion," he explained.

“People created headlines from one quick, simple comment I made on a podcast not long ago, it's crazy. I've got to be careful about what I say about it. But I've got a lot to say about it and I've been just trying to figure out how and when, to go about really articulating it.

“I have a couple small theories [as to why I was let go]," he continued, "but I can't really go into them right now. I did really enjoy the two years I spent with those guys however, and they were good to me… until they weren't."

During Freese’s time in the band, he served as the group’s drummer for their 2023 album, But Here We Are, admitting that his tenure was enjoyable and that he “loved having Dave [Grohl] as a bandleader.”

“I enjoyed being around those guys," he continued, "they were generous and good to me… and that's what makes the whole thing even more of a mystery. I think I'm a pretty good read on people, and I did not see that coming.

“One day it was nothing but laughs, we're on stage and Dave's looking at me every night like, 'You're killing it, dude!!!' And then it was just – over.”

Freese also expanded on the details surrounding the day he found about his firing, revealing that he had been hanging out with members of A Perfect Circle and Primus, noting that “everyone was in shock and asking me what the hell happened.”

However, he remains positive looking ahead to the future, and states that he’s managed to get over the heartbreak of it all incredibly quickly. Most notably, he’s now a member of Nine Inch Nails, having effectively traded places with the Foo Fighters’ new drummer, Ilan Rubin.

“Someone recently said to me, ‘Man, you’ve had a tough year.’ And I thought, Really?” he explained. “So the Foo Fighters thing is over. Big deal, that was a blip. The fact that I’ve been touring with Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle again, playing some shows with Weezer, working in the studio with everyone from Danny Elfman to Billy Idol.

“I feel like I’m back where I belong,” he adds. “Trust me… no one should feel sorry for me.”